MANILA, Philippines—The prosecution team saw Chief Justice Renato Corona’s sudden decision to submit an unconditional waiver to open his peso and dollar accounts on Friday, the last day of the trial, was a way of extending the proceedings.
Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said that Corona’s action was done “too little too late” and that the waiver on the contents of bank accounts already divulged by the report from the Anti-Money Laundering Council was no longer needed.
Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo "Sonny" Angara and Romero "Miro" Quimbo. Cathy Miranda/INQUIRER.net
He said that they saw a “pattern” in Corona’s actions from refusing to provide the court with his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) and walking out of the impeachment trial before being discharged from the witness stand.
“Nilalaro niya ang publiko at ang impeachment court. Ang sa amin, sana huwag na tayong magpadala dito,” said Angara
“Kung Tuesday niya binigay ang waiver baka tinanggap pa ng Senate. Pero after his testimony, inamin niya ang kanyang dollar accounts at sinabi na hindi ito declared sa SALN,” he said.
Another spokesman, Marikina Representative Romero “Miro” Quimbo, said that the defense was toying on public sentiments. He pointed out as an example, the submission of the waiver amid the public’s mixed feelings about Corona’s medical condition after his walkout.
He maintained that the prosecutors decided to drop plans of cross examination so as not to slow down the trial.
“We don’t want to delay pero gusto nila ng extension.”
The prosecution team’s decision to drop plans for cross examination was also made unanimously so as “not to exacerbate (the chief magistrate’s) condition,” said Quimbo.
“The prosecution decided early on na ang cross examination ay hindi na gagawin principally dahil wala kaming nakitang damaging na punto sa testimony (ni Corona). Hindi advantageous sa defense,” he said.
He explained how in litigation sometimes the best cross examination “is having no cross if you can (afford) not to do it. That is the best situation,” said Quimbo.